1. Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an image forming apparatus including a plurality of functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses that can make direct access to removable media such as universal serial bus (USB) memories without using other information processing apparatuses such as personal computers are in widespread use. Such image forming apparatuses have a so-called “media direct printing” function, which is a function of directly printing an image file recorded in a removable medium.
Some of the image forming apparatuses having the media direct printing function have a function of displaying a preview image (hereinafter, referred to as an “image preview function”) for selecting an image file to be printed. The image preview function allows a user to select an image file to be printed while viewing images. Therefore, the possibility of printing an image file by mistake decreases.
To generate preview images, image processing needs to be performed. Therefore, the image preview function requires a resource for image processing. In a case where a resource conflict occurs with other processing that requires a resource for image processing, either of them cannot be executed. For example, when an instruction for execution of a print job is issued during execution of the image preview function, the print job is placed in a standby state until completion of the image preview function, since the resource for image processing is being used for the image preview function.
Conventionally, in order to avoid such a state, a plurality of preview image display methods is prepared, and according to the resource usage status of a print job, a method executable with the remaining resource is used for generating a preview image. In the configuration discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-008632, a resource conflict status is identified, and according to the conflict status, a resource and a preview image display method are selected.
In a case where the preview image display method is changed according to the conflict status as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-008632, a resource free from conflict is needed. In an inexpensive compact multifunction peripheral (MFP) (hereinafter, referred to as a CMFP), however, such an extra resource is not prepared. Therefore, the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-008632 cannot be used.
Further, in the case of a resource conflict between an image preview function that does not involve the operation of a printer engine and a print job that involves the operation of a printer engine, the display method is switched without providing any notification to a user. This causes confusion to the user who does not know the occurrence of resource conflict.
Still further, in the configuration discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-008632, the display method is switched without receiving permission of a user who is using the image preview function. This impairs the usability for the user using the image preview function.